The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Fisupnic Flame’.
‘Fisupnic Flame’ is a product of a planned breeding program and originated from a hybridization made by the inventor, Birgit C. Hofmann, in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany, in 2000.
The female parent was the variety ‘Fisimp 102’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,700), characterized by orange-red colored flowers, medium to late flowering response, medium green foliage, and fairly tall plant habit.
The male parent was the variety ‘Fisimp 149’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,711), having deep pink colored flowered with a red-purple center, dark green foliage, and about medium sized plant habit.
‘Fisupnic Flame’ was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by the inventor in April, 2001 in a controlled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fisupnic Flame’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in July, 2001 in a greenhouse in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain, by, or under the supervision of the inventor.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from these cuttings initiated in the spring of 2002 in Hillscheid, Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fisupnic Flame’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.
‘Fisupnic Flame’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length, without, however, any variation in genotype. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany, under green house conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial practice.